Synthesis and property evaluation of a novel polyacrylamide‐montmorillonite composite for water shutoff and profile control in high salinity reservoirs

Polyacrylamide-montmorillonite organic-inorganic composites (Poly(AM/O-MMT)) were synthesized by copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) on organic modified montmorillonite (O-MMT) using N, N- methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) as a cross-linker and ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator in an aqueous solution. The montmorillonite (MMT) was modified by methacryloyloxy ethyl dimethyl hexadecyl ammonium bromide (DMB) which was synthesized by 2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate with 1-bromohexadecane. The FTIR and XRD were used to verify the organification of MMT with DMB. The effects of the amount of the DMB and O-MMT on water absorption were studied. The swelling behavior in different saline solution and re-swelling ability in distilled water were investigated. The results showed that DMB and O-MMT content have an important effect on the water absorption of the composites. The addition of the DMB enhanced the salt resistance and delayed the swelling speed of the Poly(AM/O-MMT). Simultaneously, the toughness was measured. The water blocking and profile control ability were evaluated by core physical simulation experiments. The results indicated that the Poly(AM/O-MMT) has good plugging ability and profile control ability. The properties tested indicated that the Poly(AM/O-MMT) has a promising prospect to be applied as a profile control or water shut-off agent for enhanced oil recovery in high salinity reservoirs. POLYM. COMPOS., 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers

[1]  Fa-yang Jin,et al.  Performance of Oil-Based Cement Slurry as a Selective Water-Plugging Agent in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Cave-Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs , 2014 .

[2]  Shan Tang,et al.  Investigation on gelation process and microstructure for partially hydrolyzed polyacrylic amide (HPAm)–Cr(III) acetate–methanal compound crosslinked weak gel , 2014, Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology.

[3]  N. Ricardo,et al.  Chitosan-graft-poly(acrylic acid)/rice husk ash based superabsorbent hydrogel composite: preparation and characterization , 2012, Journal of polymer research.

[4]  E. Morallón,et al.  A conducting nanocomposite via intercalative polymerisation of 2-methylaniline with aniline in montmorillonite cation-exchanged , 2012, Journal of Polymer Research.

[5]  O. Duman,et al.  Rheological measurements of Na-bentonite and sepiolite particles in the presence of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium tetradecyl sulfonate and Brij 30 surfactants , 2012 .

[6]  A. Cetinkaya,et al.  Electrokinetic and rheological properties of kaolinite in poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) and poly(vinyl alcohol) solutions , 2012 .

[7]  Veena Choudhary,et al.  Effect of clay content and clay/surfactant on the mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of polystyrene/organoclay nanocomposites , 2011 .

[8]  H. Khonakdar,et al.  Morphological, rheological and thermal studies in melt processed compatibilized PA6/ABS/clay nanocomposites , 2011 .

[9]  O. Duman,et al.  Preparation of active antimicrobial methyl cellulose/carvacrol/montmorillonite nanocomposite films and investigation of carvacrol release , 2011 .

[10]  O. Duman,et al.  Preparation and characterization of biodegradable methyl cellulose/montmorillonite nanocomposite films , 2010 .

[11]  S. Ghatak,et al.  Thermogravimetric study of n-alkylammonium-intercalated montmorillonites of different cation exchange capacity , 2010 .

[12]  O. Duman,et al.  Electrokinetic and rheological behaviors of sepiolite suspensions in the presence of poly(acrylic acid sodium salt)s, polyacrylamides, and poly(ethylene glycol)s of different molecular weights , 2008 .

[13]  Y. Rao.  Gelatin–clay nanocomposites of improved properties ☆ , 2007 .

[14]  P. Chalier,et al.  Functional properties of wheat gluten/montmorillonite nanocomposite films processed by casting , 2007 .

[15]  A. Katbab,et al.  Preparation and characterization of nanocomposite hydrogels based on polyacrylamide for enhanced oil recovery applications , 2006 .

[16]  Aiqin Wang,et al.  Study on superabsorbent composite. III. Swelling behaviors of polyacrylamide/attapulgite composite based on acidified attapulgite and organo-attapulgite , 2005 .

[17]  Andi Li,et al.  Studies on poly(acrylic acid)/attapulgite superabsorbent composite. I. Synthesis and characterization , 2004 .

[18]  Suprakas Sinha Ray,et al.  POLYMER/LAYERED SILICATE NANOCOMPOSITES: A REVIEW FROM PREPARATION TO PROCESSING , 2003 .

[19]  Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky,et al.  Biopolymer−Clay Nanocomposites Based on Chitosan Intercalated in Montmorillonite , 2003 .

[20]  Yongan Gu,et al.  Application of a Novel Polymer System in Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) , 2003 .

[21]  F. Bergaya,et al.  Surface modification of clay minerals , 2001 .

[22]  Thomas J. Pinnavaia,et al.  Interfacial Effects on the Reinforcement Properties of Polymer−Organoclay Nanocomposites , 1996 .